Fireworks should be left to professionals

Saturday

Jun 30, 2012 at 12:01 AMJun 30, 2012 at 10:35 AM

I respond to the Wednesday letter "State should reconsider fireworks law" from William A. Weimer, a Youngstown fireworks wholesaler who is suggesting that by permitting more liberal use of fireworks in Ohio, Ohioans can be lifted from the "shadows of illegality."

I respond to the Wednesday letter “State should reconsider fireworks law” from William A. Weimer, a Youngstown fireworks wholesaler who is suggesting that by permitting more liberal use of fireworks in Ohio, Ohioans can be lifted from the “shadows of illegality.”

While making an illegal act legal would reduce the number of individuals arrested for breaking the law, it also puts more dangerous backyard fireworks in the hands of more people and increases the risk for serious injury.

Last year, there were 9,600 injuries caused by fireworks treated in hospital emergency rooms — an increase of 1,000 injuries over 2010. This increase does not support Weimer’s theory that fireworks are getting safer as their use grows. Eighty percent of these injuries involved fireworks that consumers were permitted to use. Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s safe.

Half of all fireworks injuries are to innocent bystanders, many of them children. Last year, there were 400 cases of emergency treatment for children under the age of 5 due to sparklers, which burn at up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit — hot enough to melt copper. The safety of our children is the price we would pay in expanding use of consumer fireworks.

Prevent Blindness Ohio cares about this issue because eyes are the second-most-injured part of the body. We believe there is no safe way to use backyard fireworks and sparklers, and we support the development and enforcement of bans on the importation, sale and use of all fireworks and sparklers, except those used in authorized public displays by licensed operators. But remember, even public displays can be dangerous.

We want families to be aware of the dangers posed by fireworks. Prevent Blindness Ohio urges all citizens to stay away from backyard fireworks this holiday season and celebrate in safer ways.

SHERILL WILLIAMS

President and

Chief executive officer

Prevent Blindness Ohio

Columbus

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